Heat exchanger



Sept- 1, 1953 T. A. coLLlTo 2,650,801

HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Oct. 11, 1949 INVENTOR. rHo/v/AAcOLL/o BYfMMf- ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1953 HEAT EXCHAN GER Thomas A. Collito, Newark, N. J.; Michael B. Collito, executor of said Thomas A. Collito, de-

ceased Appucauon october 11, 1949, seria1No.120,640

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for maintaining the contents of a process line or conduit at a predetermined temperature or within a desired range of temperatures.

In the processing or handling of many products, such as, for example, beer, ice cream, milk, chemicals, paraiiin, fruit juices, etc., the product generally travels between separate parts of a plant through a circular conduit-pipe or process line and, during such travel, it is necessary to maintain the product at a predetermined temperature in said conduit. Parafn is an extremely diiiicult product to handle in this manner due to its characteristic of freezing immediately in the absence of heat, nevertheless, it is necessary, in many plants, to conduct parain through conduits extending from a tank or container to the apparatus in which it is used in the manufacturing process, for example, a machine for coating paper cups with paraffin. Heretofore, the product conduits or process lines were usually jacketed but this proved to be both expensive and impracticable, or, in the case of low temperature work where it is an ever present necessity to keep the line cold, it has been the practice to provide refrigerant bleeders to maintain the extremely low suction temperature present in these lines, this practice requiring an elaborate injection system with its attendant expansion valves and other specialized equipment. Therefore, the primary object of this invention is the provision of simplified, efficient and inexpensive apparatus for controlling the temperature of a product in transit through a process line.

Another object is to provide a temperaturecontrol conduit for the usual circular pipe.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side View of a with temperature-control the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a, transverse sectional view of a temperature-control conduit provided with one form of coupling means;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; l

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing another form of coupling means; and

process line provided conduits according to Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown the usually metallic circular pipe conduit or process line I0 through which there customarily flows a product such as, for example and not by way of limitation, a chemical, paraiiin, fruit juices, ice cream, milk, beer, etc., which product must be maintained at a predetermined temperature or within a temperature range during transit through said line.

To provide for the transfer of heat to, or for the withdrawal of heat from the contents of pipe I0, a companion non-circular temperature-control or heat exchange conduit I2 is disposed in direct heat exchange relation with said pipe. Conduit I2 may be formed of any suitable metal, such as, for example and not by way of limitation, copper, Monel metal, stainless steel, or any alloy, the choice of material depending upon the direction of heat exchange and the medium carried by said conduit. It will be understood that said companion conduit may be provided, in any suitable manner, with any suitable heat exchange medium which may comprise a heating or a cooling agent, such as, for example and not by way of limitation, steam, hot water for heating, and brine, ammonia, or other refrigerant for cooling.

To provide a maximum surface area to effect the direct exchange of heat between pipe I0 and the companion conduit I2, the latter is provided, in any suitable manner, with a non-circular periperal contour. As here shown, conduit I2, which may be otherwise of any desired crosssectional contour, is provided with a re-entrant arcuate heat exchange portion I4 extending longitudinally thereof. It will be noted that said portion I4 is provided with a concave outer surface IE which is generally complementary to the outer surface of pipe I0, but it will be understood that the curvature of surface I6 need not be the same as the curvature of the surface portion I8 of pipe I 0 which it abuts and with which it is in heat exchange disposition.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be noted that the companion conduit I2 is mounted longitudinally of pipe III, the concave surface portion I6 of the former abutting a surface portion I8 of the latter in direct heat exchange relation therewith. It will be understood that a heating mestood that said conduits may be secured to the 2 pipe in any suitable manner, said securement per se not constituting a part of this invention.

The conduits I2 may be .prcvidediin 'anycsuitable lengths. However, Where-iit1is=necessaryito i join two sections of conduit, there is provided a coupling member or nipple 20., ,preferably :formed l of a suitable metal. Said coupling member is similar in cross section to the conduit I2','iha'ving I n the sleeve portions 2.2, 22iprovided with the concave .outersurface' .portions .24, r24 (Fig. 3),. and the integral centrally raised portion 26 extending between said sleeve vportions .and lprovidedfvvith the outer concave surface portion 2.'lf1 the-inarginal edges of -said raised ,portion .forming the peripherally continuous shoulders .28, A2--.which limit the rinsertionof vthe coupling member into theconduit. :Whenfmounted i-n'adjacent ends 3D ofY sections ofconduit I.-2, eachsleeve/ portion .extendsinto one of said ends and the 'latter abuts the adjacent -shoulder .28, .said Asleeve -underlying the inner surface of the-conduit endfthe concave portion-of thesleeve abutting the inner surfaceo-f the arcuate portion I4. and being secured thereto as by -.brazing,soldering, orinany other suitable manner.- -When ,so mounted, the central. portion of vthe 'coupling member is viiushthroughout itsouter surfacemith the .outer surface .1.6 :of .each of the.adjacentconduits, as illustrated in Fig. 4. .In practice, each conduit sectionfmay |-be provided with a coupling 2E! `secured-at the Yfactory Avin one vend thereofV-so :that when the conduit .I2 is assembled it .will-be necessary to secure` only one sleeve `portion.24 into a conduit `section for joining r.each .pair 'of :sections.

Another form v.ofcoupling 32 -is -illustrated ,in Figs. 51and 6. -Asthere shown, coupling :32 .comprises the companion flange .members:34,.34f.with a gasket 36 .therebetweemfsaid flanges andfrgasket being .mutually secured bythe .threaded -bolts .38, each of .which is provided Awith .a .nut -40...Each flange is .non-circular in peripheral contour -be ing yprovided .with .the-.concave portions 42, -42 which have substantially the same @curvature -as the. .outer.surface portion .I6 of the-conduit, as .illustrated in Fig. 5. Each flange is; provided with .a laterally extending portion 44% comprising a .sleeve .portion 46, similarrto sleeve .24 and .a -raised .portion 48, similar'to raised portion 25. It .will .be .noted :that -said portion 48 -is {peripherally .continuous and `when the .coupling .32. is in position, .each portion llB is flushthroughout its outerrsurface-.with the outer vsurface of the adjacent conduit. Each -ange member .34 Vis'providedvalso vwithfa-.shoulder or step which? abuts theend dof' .the conduit to vlimit the rinsertion of the.. coupling .member therein. Tomount-.fthe coupling, each sleeve 46 is finsertedin .the sadjacent.- conduit end, the concave r.portion @ofc the sleeve abutting the vinner .surface of farcuate portion 'l'dand secured theretoina ,suitable manner. The gasket is interposed .between the..,con vfronting .faces of the flanges which varethen securedtogether by bolts .38 andnuts/A. .-Infpractice, each section of conduit may be provided with a flange member 34 already secured to one end thereof in the described manner, so that at the place of installation, it will be necessary only to insert the gasket between companion flanges and then bolt them together.

While I have shown and described the pres- .ently preferred embodiment vof` my invention, itl will be understood that various'changes in the details of construction and in the form and ar- :rangement of parts may be made without de- -parting-from the underlying idea or principles 'of this invention within the scope of the apmpendedclaims. '.Itrwill be understood that the fheatiexch-ang-e `vmedium referred to in the appended claims-'mayf-be either a heating or a cooling medium.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimV andvdesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A conduit adapted to be placed in juxtaposition .to-y ;a'. circular 'companion' pipe. llaterally of the latterzin surface-to-.surface relationft-herewith, said @conduit having a-longitudina-llyextending re-entrant fperi-pheral surface portion forming-qa recess to :receive a longitudinally .extending -peripheral `surface Aportion 4of th-ecompanioncircular pipe, Asaidre-entrant,surfacewporftion being cylindricallyaconcave for. contacting a cylindrical surface portion of thevcompanion pipe, .said conduit and said-:pipe .being'l-conterfminous Vand adjacent to each fotherftoffeffect fa direct -heat exchange therebetweenv throughsaid portions `for the length of-said iconduitiandnaid pipe, said :conduit comprising ia plurality-of -conduit lengths, the latter having-@provisions :to be joined in end-to-end relation.

2. A conduit va'daptedto be fplaced .in ijuxtaposition 'to Aa fcircular :companion .pipelaterally of the latter in surface-to-surface.relationftherewith, said' conduit having a'slongitudinally- .extending re-entrant peripheral :surfacevv portion forming :a recess to 'receive a longitudinally 'ex-i tending peripheral Asurface .portion lof thercornpanion circular pipe, rsaid Yre-pentrantsurface :portion :being cylindrica1ly concave for contacting Va cylindrical. surf aceqportioniof lthexmmpanion pipe, said yconduit andl .-saidapipe being: conterminous andadjacentftoeach other to zeffecta directfheat exchange therebetween throughfsaid'portions for the length V'of isa-id conduitrand'said pipeyisaid conduit comprising a-plurality of conduitllengt'hs the- 4latter having .provisions `to vbe 'joined inwendto-end erelation, andzzcoupling means for'xinterconnecting said 4conduit ilengths, :said `coupling means comprising a coupling memberriposit-ionf able-in each of the-:adjacent ends of a rpair of said-conduit lengths, vsaid .rcouplingxmember- `having a sleeve :portionw-having the'isamefcross-sectionaloutline as said conduitnlcngthsand insertablyr .engaged `,in one vof- .said :adjacenten'dsand a flangedl portionffextending :laterally thereof, said flanged portion having a portion flush with said re-entrant surface portionandpositi'onable indirect .heat .exchange relationwith ,sai-d cornpanion pipe, and -`means .for releasablysecuring said nange portions in confronting..disposition .3. Y A-conduit-a'daptedfto beplaced in :juxtaposition to a circular companion pipe laterally -of the. latter :in surf-ace-to-surface'@relation therewith, :said .fconduit :having Ia;longitudinally .extending re-entrant peripheral' surfacef'ipcction forming av recess f tofreceive :a `:longitudinally extending peripheral surface portion of the :comF panion: circular pipe, -said :re-.entrant sucia-caportion being cylindrically concave for .contacting S cylindrical surface portion of the companion pipe, said conduit and said pipe being conterminous and adjacent to each other to effect a direct heat exchange therebetween through said portions for the length of said conduit and said pipe, said conduit comprising a plurality of conduit lengths, the latter having provisions to be joined in end-to-end relation, and coupling means for interconnecting said conduit lengths, said coupling means comprising a coupling member having sleeve portions having the same cross-sectional outline as said conduit lengths, each of said sleeve portions being insertably engageable in one of the adjacent ends of a pair of said conduit lengths, and a raised portion between said sleeve portions in abutment with the confronting marginal portions of said adjacent ends, said raised portion having the same cross-sectional outline as said conduit lengths and being continuously flush therewith.

THOMAS A. COLLITO.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 435,193 Steele Aug. 26, 1890 566,243 Svagrovsky Aug. 18, 1896 1,098,476 Carpenter June 2, 1914 1,188,485 Pruyn June 27, 1916 1,298,258 Richards Mar. 25, 1919 1,339,739 Coleman May 11, 1920 1,815,840 Frank July 21, 1931 1,925,032 Dunner Aug. 29, 1933 2,035,341 Radloif Mar. 24, 1936 2,151,206 Hawthorne Mar. 21, 1939 2,340,926 Bradley Feb. 8, 1944 

